Self-Reflection

Self-Reflection

Have you ever done something, and then afterwards thought to yourself, “Man, I wish I could have done that differently?” “Reacted differently?” “Said something differently?” Whether it’s an important conversation with someone or an action towards someone, we often feel, upon reflection, that it could have gone differently, often better.

The same can be said of writing; after submitting something for assessment, did you think about what you had written? Did you wish you could have it back so you could make changes? Take some time to review your work from Unit 1 including the feedback you received on your assignments.

• Did the feedback match your thoughts?
  
• Were the areas of difficulty or concern that were identified by your teacher the same areas you wished you could have changed?
  
• What are some of the strengths in your writing? These could be big skills like organizing ideas, supporting ideas with evidence or examples, showing perceptive thinking and understanding, creativity, or it could be more specific skills, such as matters of choice or matters of correctness.

As you continue working, pay particular attention to the skills and abilities you are confident in and those you need to continue honing, based on the feedback you receive. Remember, the course is designed to build on your knowledge and skills: You should be practicing the reading and writing strategies being presented in the course, and provided as feedback, in all of your assignments. If you are continually receiving the same comments (for example, "provide more specific details"), then you and I can discuss how to best achieve this skill. As you work on your next assignment, focus on one particular skill you are confident in and one you need to work on, keeping in mind that we will be discussing these aspects later in the course.